The Joe's Bar building, erected in the 1880s during Llano’s iron boom, has a storied past, hosting a grocery and clothing store, and playing a role in Buttery Hardware, the town’s largest employer. The bar's journey began when friends from the Class of '68, particularly Mikel "Mike" Virdell and Joe Lawley, transformed a storeroom into a bar fulfilling Joe's lifelong dream. Joe ran the bar until his passing in 2008. Now expanded with the Llano River Creamery, Joe's Bar thrives as a community hub, hosting events, tournaments, and a lively crowd of devoted patrons.
